Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and AMBER, the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, have officially launched the European Space Agency (ESA) Phi-Lab Ireland – a pioneering six-year programme designed to drive innovation in space technologies within companies in Ireland. 

Space-optimised hardware

Ireland, as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and materials science, will address the thematic area of space-optimised hardware.

Phi-Lab Ireland will fund cutting-edge research across the entire life-cycle from materials discovery and testing, to the scaled production of components optimised for the unique and challenging environment of space.

Benefiting from the combined capabilities of two of Ireland’s leading research organisations, Phi-Lab Ireland will also offer access to expert mentorship and training programmes, state-of-the-art research infrastructure, comprehensive networking opportunities, and significant seed funding for projects up to 24 months. 

Enterprise minister Peter Burke said: “The launch of ESA’s Phi-Lab Ireland offers Irish companies a great opportunity to further develop in the areas of advanced manufacturing and materials innovation.

'Expert mentoring and training programmes'

"Available to space active companies and to companies who up to now haven’t considering entering into this market, Phi-Lab Ireland will offer expert mentoring and training programmes, access to state of the art research infrastructure and critical seed funding up to €400,000.

"Working in partnership with ESA, IMR and AMBER, two of Ireland’s leading research organisations, will strengthen the capability of the growing Irish space eco-system and I look forward to Irish companies taking their place in the globally competitive space sector. I am particularly pleased to see this degree of endeavour and innovation taking place here in Mullingar in my own constituency.”

Phi-Lab Ireland’s first funding call for research project proposals from Irish companies seeking to grow in Ireland’s developing space ecosystem is now open.

Unique to Phi-Lab Ireland, projects are welcome from companies who in the past may have never considered their products for the space sector, and also current space-active companies seeking to advance their position in this market and/or bring their innovations to larger terrestrial markets.

Dr Ken Horan, director of technology innovation and entrepreneurship at IMR and head of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland, said: “ESA Phi-Lab Ireland is a unique opportunity for Irish SMEs, startups, and researchers to become leaders in space-focused innovation.

"Today the space sector offers opportunities akin to those presented by the medtech sector a few decades ago and before that, ICT manufacturing. These have become cornerstones of the Irish economy. We want to see Ireland equivalently recognised as a global leader in the space sector and are building a national competence centre to advance this ambition.”

Professor Mick Morris, director of the AMBER Centre, added: “AMBER are delighted to partner with IMR to support Irish industry and researchers in exploring new commercial opportunities in the space sector. This activity will build on our strong foundation in supporting research in materials science important to the Irish and European economy.

"To date, we have built a partner portfolio of more than 50 companies and managed more than 100 collaborative projects. Together with IMR we span the full life cycle from material discovery and development through material validation to generative design and the development of the high-volume manufacturing processes necessary for next generation space-bound hardware while maximising and improving the sustainability of those processes.”

Phi-Lab Ireland is the newest addition to an expanding pan-European network of locally hosted and administered Phi-Labs (Phi-Lab NET), each addressing a regionally important thematic area.

Rapidly growing space sector

Phi-Lab NET is being developed by the European Space Agency to accelerate innovation in the rapidly growing space sector, to ensure future competitiveness at both European and regional levels.

Evelyn Kerschbaumer, commercial officer at the European Space Agency, said: “As part of the ScaleUp Programme under the Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, the European Space Agency (ESA) is establishing a dynamic network of ESA Phi-Labs across Europe. We are pleased to welcome the Irish Phi-Lab to this expanding network.

"The launch of the Phi-Lab Ireland is a testimonial to ESA’s and Ireland’s joint commitment to push innovation in space technologies and drive economic growth. Phi-Lab Ireland will enable Irish companies to generate innovation, unlock new markets and commercial opportunities, making tomorrow’s technologies available for today’s world.”

Key research areas targeted by this funding call include advanced materials research; additive manufacturing; structural analysis and simulation; and integration of smart materials.

A major event to inaugurate ESA Phi-Lab Ireland at IMR in Mullingar is planned for late 2025.

Companies interested in applying to ESA Phi-Lab Ireland’s first funding call can visit: www.esaphilab.ie